Colorado Democrats Push Sweeping New Crackdown on 3-D Printed Guns and Gun Dealer Oversight

By Lucas Brady Woods and Kyle McKinnon | The Colorado Sun

Democrats in the Colorado legislature are adding to their slate of proposals this year to tighten the state’s gun regulations with measures that would further crack down on 3-D printed firearms and impose tougher rules on gun dealers.

House Bill 1144 would add to Colorado’s restrictions on ghost guns, unserialized firearms that are often assembled at home using 3-D printed parts or do-it-yourself kits. They allow people to bypass background checks and are virtually untraceable.

Federal data show ghost guns are increasingly turning up at crime scenes.

Recoveries of the weapons surged nearly 1,600% between 2017 and 2023, according to a 2025 report from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Law enforcement recovered more than 90,000 ghost guns nationwide during that period.

Ghost guns have also been involved in high-profile shootings in Colorado, including the 2022 mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs and the 2023 shooting at East High School.

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